College of Common Ground, Common Water  

By Jim Noeldner, North Kitsap School District

What do farmers markets, organic farming, Hood Canal oxygen depletion, Puget Sound pollution, Master Gardners and Advanced Placement (AP) high school classes all have in common?

In our region, there is a network of people of all ages, backgrounds and experiences who are involved with learning and teaching in several related program areas:  FRESH Horticulture, Natural Resources and Environmental Science…program areas that are inter-related because of the common ground and common water we all share.  The results of this program development should be increased opportunities for students to learn about their common ground and common water at high school and in their post-secondary education and training plans at Olympic College and area four-year university programs.

In North Kitsap and South Kitsap school districts, program development efforts are underway that, in partnership with Olympic College, WSU Extension and others, are working to prepare high school students for successful careers in these growing areas (pun intended).

Examples of this program development include South Kitsap’s Howe Farm project and the development of Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science as a high school Agriculture program option for students (highlighted in articles below).

The Kitsap County Economic Development Alliance recognizes Agriculture as an economic development sector in their vision of a “clean and green” future for our regional economy.  Jobs related to a whole variety of things like organic farming, fisheries, ecology protection, land development mitigation and environmental impact law will all need to be filled by students who have studied in the College of Common Ground, Common Water!